Finally! A Greek public servant started to think beyond the narrow paragraphs of bureaucracy and take advantage of given possibilities and options for the shake and benefit of the public. The CEO of Sismanoglio public hospital in Athens paved the way for a radical utilization of the garden plot surrounding the hospital premises and turned into agricultural land with promising harvest.

Tomatoes, zucchinis, green beans, eggplants, bell peppers but also watermelons are growing in the five-acres land plot and classic Greek vegetables of summer are soon to land in the hospital kitchen and the patients’ plates.

With the help of neighboring municipalities of Marousi and Penteli, CEO OlgaOikonomou made the difference without additional cost in times of economic crisis and sharp cuts in the health care and public hospitals.

Municipalities supplied machines and tools to turn the waste land into agricultural soil. They also provided gardeners to give a helping hand to the two hospital gardeners.

“The proposal for a vegetable garden seemed ideal,” Oikonomou told Proto Thema, after it became clear that in times of austerity it was impossible to utilize the land plot and make use of the “green” advantage of the hospital.

“In cooperation with the superintendence and two gardeners of Sismanoglio and the help of neighboring municipalities that provided machines whenever we asked, we proceeded to siting, cleaning, plowing and planting with seeds that our gardeners got free of charge. Now we will start putting the fence – the process was not in the appropriate range because we wanted to catch this year’s production, “Oikonomou said.

For start, the vegetable garden extends to 1.5 acres, and the classic summer vegetables have already bearing fruits. All signs are positive that Sismanoglio will have a good harvest. And thus a biological one.

In the first phase the intention is that the vegetables will be given to specific patients such as children, immune problems and patients with cystic fibrosis.

The ambitious but not impossible goal is to gradually increase the production so that the vegetable garden will become a key supplier to the hospital kitchen.

The cost for the kitchen of Sismanoglio and the interconnected hospitals of “Amalia Fleming” and IKA Hospital/Melissia is more than 800,000 euro per year. 130,000 euro alone are spent for vegetables.

Sismanoglio has 400 beds and treats an average of 280 patients per day.

The hospital gardeners’ plans include growing of potatoes and get olive oil through the dozens of olive trees standing in the area.

Oikonomou, gardeners

Oikonomou plans also to create a herbs garden, where patients of the psychiatric department can occupy themselves.

No kidding! The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is already preparing (via their local NGOs) to terminate this “illegal” activity, as it is against the “international law” (*) that was created by the NWO to serve the best interests of those who own – exclusively – the 37% (today, and growing!) of the Global Tomato Production.

This very law is complemented with the other “peculiar” one that prohibits collection of rainwater. Behind all these is the secret FEMA … to be seen – soon – to our screen too! I am not jobbing you!

(*) under the code_name: “How GAP Grows Marijuana (aka “Μαρία Τζουάνα” no kin to “Μαντζουράνα”) on his Balcony”

In our days, we hear and read a lot in the Internet that American citizens – under new imposed City Code – are to be ticketed, fined, and prosecuted if they decide to grow vegetables at their gardens to help feed their families. Therefore, I am not here to question Michelle Obama’s right to plant a garden on the White House grounds, based on the new U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act, the Act that significantly expands Food and Drug Administration powers originally granted under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938 (Note 1), in simple words: whether the U.S. Congress is to finally outlaw or not «that Front and/or Back Yard Veggie Garden»?
Now, as for the link to our local NGOs (plural form no kin to NGO’s which is the genitive form hahaha), it’s not wise to direct anyone – right now – to the #2 party at Koumoun-Dourou (Rena?) HQs … simply because these guys are busy enough indoctrinated with Professor Jean «Γιάνης» (not Γιάννης!) Barouh’s economic theories and Axel Cheap Rush is busy like hell with his high-intensive English courses.